Are you allowed / encouraged to question the validity of your beliefs (? for ALL Religions)?

I think there is a misconception (in all religions) that if you question anything then you are being weak and do not have faith. When in all actuality when you question your beliefs and if you come back to the same conclusions it makes you stronger. Not all who question come to the conclusion that they were wrong before.

I believe in god, and i questioned his existence but i still believe he exists. (I recognize there is no proof of his existence but there is also no proof he doesn't exist - so its just up to interpretation)

In buddhism we are taught to always question. The metaphor that is always used is a path. When you are learning and questioning you are walking along the path. When you stop questioning you stop walking, and you stop learning. Learning is very important in buddhism. I'm sure its important in other religions, i'm not saying that to spurn any others or anything. I'm not as sure that its encouraged as much though.

I am a practicing Christian and a member of a religious order. I have 4 university degrees (none from a religious school), including a law degree. I have spent my adult life questioning my own religious beliefs and am of the opinion that, having done so has made those beliefs much more secure because they have been tested both by the advantages of a good education and the analytical tools that result from a good education. Whether or not any ecclesial community either specifically "allows" or encourages me to continue this process of testing is really irrelevant. Nobody has ever tried to stop me, and any attempt to do so would have been futile. Having spent more years than I care to admit having pursued this process, I have come to the opinion that any religious faith that does not entertain doubt is a faith not worth having.

(Also, "science," as in empirically based true propositions, and "knowledge" are not necessarily the same thing.)

Grace be unto you and peace.

The act of becoming a Christian starts with questioning its validity. Stop by a Sunday School class sometime; those kids can be relentless in their doubts and questions. This is why children under a certain age are not baptised, because it's a choice and they can't make an informed decision. If you think that questioning weakens faith, then you've never spent any time around a bunch of Baptists! We'd rather question and argue than eat. This questioning is why there are so many denominations, and so many different groups within denominations.

Judaism isn't faith based. It's action based. Through action you will better yourself & bring "God" into ourselves & the world around us. So, it encourages questioning of everything, constantly -- how else do you get to truths & best actions? The better the questions, the more challenging, the better a student you are.

So much so that:

- Talmud is set up as a series of debates of different view points. What's funny about it - is that arguments from Rabbis who lived 500 years apart are pited against each other. You the reader gets to pick what arguments YOU agree with.

- A standard joke about Jews - ask one Jew, you'll get two opinions.

- We study in groups, & typically the leader who's more studied, or anyone in the group, will phrase their statements as questions. "So, why do we suppose Moses did this & that?" will be a statement from the leader. Then everyone pipes up with ideas. This keeps going for a while. And sometimes there ones the leader never thought of before. No conclusions are necessarily reached.

So, embracing knowledge, such as studying Torah in the context of scientific information, is just fine. I can't think of any specific examples at the moment but things like using lingistics to understand the different "writers" behind the Torah (since there are clear styles in different sections) are famous published books. (Orthodox is more uncomfortable with that specific example, but are fine with others.)

I have studied other religions, Native American, Hindu, Islam, as well as other world religions.

I wonder why you think those who have faith don't have knowledge? Maybe our knowledge is different than yours or our understanding is different than yours, but that doesn't mean we don't have knowledge of a certain topic.

I think my faith becomes stronger when I question things, not only in the Bible, but about other religions, when I see the similarities, differences, and so on.

Faith is not this small belief system, it is a whole hearted dedication, putting your life on the line, knowing that what has been said will come true. You don't question or doubt it.

Knowledge and science can only affirm my faith, they can't remove it.

I don't know if I am exactly allowed to question my beliefs, but I have done so in the past. I believe because I have examined these beliefs and have come to understand them personally, not because I was told to do so. I am not sure any religion encourages this. I never really questioned the existence of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but it was more the other smaller points.

I can imagine the Pope would prefer I didn't, but I do and have for quite a while. Frankly, I think it strengthens my beliefs. One can have faith in one's religion, for the most part, AND embrace knowledge and science. I do and I don't find it contradictory at all. Many, many scientists have religion and strong faith.

I am a Christian.

Nobody has ever told me that it is a sin to question my faith...God would be very insecure indeed, I think, if He were afraid to face our questions.

Why would you suppose that, in order to embrace knowledge (including science), it would be necessary to remove ourselves from faith?

Why can't a belief in God go hand in hand with curiosity about the universe He created?

Don't let the hissing noises being made by a few of the "faithful" convince you that God worries that if we learn too much about HOW He did it, that we'll lose our faith in the One Who did it...

God is not worried.

But I think some of His "fan club" may be...

Questioning is most certainly the best way to approach faith because it leads to answers. I have both science and knowledge harmoniously in my life alongside faith. I know many Christians who have this balance. I think we are stronger Christians for this.

It depends on what religion you are. Some religions have strict policies on questioning doctrine.

But as a person you have the right to find out for yourself. Many religions lie to suite their purpose. 1 John 4:1 in the bible says "Don't believe every inspired expression but test the inspired expression to see if they originate with God."